Sean Bielat, the Republican who lost two recent US House elections, told supporters today that he would not enter the US Senate race to replace John F. Kerry.

Last week, he had opened an exploratory committee.

“Regardless of press reports and a poorly phrased fundraising appeals to the contrary, I never left exploratory mode,” Bielat wrote in an e-mail to supporters.

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Bielat wrote that his fund-raising was promising and that “I think we could have mounted strong campaign but now is just not the right time for us.”

Three other Republicans are currently trying to secure 10,000 signatures required to get on the primary ballot.

State Representative Daniel Winslow and Gabriel Gomez, a private equity manager and former Navy SEAL, have both said they plan to run and are paying professionals to help them acquire signatures in time to meet a state deadline next week.

Michael Sullivan, a former US attorney, has said he will allow others to gather signatures but will not pay to get access to the ballot.

On the Democratic side, US Representatives Edward F. Markey and Stephen F. Lynch are vying for their party’s nomination.